Planter.



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NICHOLAS WARING, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

PLANTER. l

`Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22 191i.

Application led November 12, 1909. Serial No. 527,857.

Toall whom 'it 'may concern: I

Be it known that I, Nic-notas lVAnrNo, of Rochester, in tbc county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Planters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine reference being had to the accompanywith practically the precision of a force feed apparatus. v

The improvements are directed in part toward rendering the operation of the working parts of theplanter open and under. the direct supervision of the driver or attendant thereby giving;` him opportunity to conveniently fill in the skippagcs, if any, and insure an even and regular sowing of the seed.

To these and other ends the invention consists incertain improvements andcombina tions of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, thenovel features being pointed out in the claims atthe end of the specification.

In the draggings: Figure 1 is a side elevaltion part-ly in section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 of a` potato planter constructed in accordance Wltlrand illustratingone embodilnent ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan `view thereof, the ejector casing of the cari -rier being removed.V Fig. 3 is a verticalv section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. Q showing in side elevation the ,endless coneyer for vfeeding the seed from the main hopper and also its driving means. Fig. s is a section through the conveyor driving mechanism taken substantially on the line 4--4-of Fig. 3. Fig. V5 is a. section of the conve-yer taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. lFi .,6 is Va. vertical -section through .the carrier w uch-transfers theseed to the distributor, the (same. being taken" substanl tially en the line 6-'6 'of Fig. 2. Fig.-'7 is s .ating the distributer.

side elevation of the same parts viewed from the right side of. the machine. Fig. 8 is a detail sect-ion of the ratchet for oper- Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section through the carrier housing showing thecarrier mechanism in rear elevation. Fig. 10 1s a side elevation of the carrier mechanism taken from the 'left side ot the machine. Fig. 1]. Vis a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but shmving the various parts in different positions. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the signal provided to give notice of a skippage in the operation of the machine and,` Fig. 13 is a top plan view thereof.

Similanreference numerals throughout the igures indicate the same part-s.

The machine illustrated as the resent. embodimentfof vmy invention is, as efore indi cated, a potato planter of the vehicle type and referringf first to the general features thereof` 'l Aindicates the main frame having the drafttongue- 2 and supported by an axle shaft 3 on the groundwheels 4, a seat 5 beingr provided if desired for the driver or attendant. Hung from the frame 1 is a furrow opener 6 traveling in advance of a plow point 7 in rear of which are the usual cov erers S under control ofthe lever 9 arranged adjacent the seat 5.

Preferably at the forward end of the frame 1 is arranged a relatively large main hopper l0 of any suitable design into' which An endless oonveyer 11l removes the seed .95 ata given rate fromthe hopper 10 and dis-l charges theminto an auxiliary hopper 12 arranged adjacent thereto which latter eontains a vibrating member 13 in the bottpm thereof that. feeds the seed thence into,A a receiving pocket or holder 14. A pair of intermittently reciprocating and `rotatin i impaling forks 43. transfer the contents o the holder 14, one seed at a time, and deposit them in the successive' peripheral through'an opening 18 in the table u which 4the distributer ifevolves. This pockets' 16 ,105 of a' rotary distributor '1T by whic they are carried a completerevolution under the eye of the attendant Lbefore being discharged y 1 fof various mechanisms alluded to charge opening 18 constitutes, in the present` instance, the upper end of a chute 20 that delivers the seed in rear of the plow point 7. As it takes some time for a seed in one of the pockets 1Gy to make a complete revolution, the attendant has ample opportunity to fill any one of the said pockets by hand before it reaches the discharge opening in case the carrier forks have failed to fill it and thereby prevent a break in the regularity of therow being sowed. Also, through my in` vention, a signal is provided which calls attention to the fact whenever a carrier fork fails to present a seed upon its arrival at the distributer.

Proceeding now with the details of the and referring rst more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the main hopper 10 is pro-- vided with a narrow opening 21l through which are adapted to pass the buckets 22 of the endless conveyer 11, the latter being mounted upon sprockets 22 journaled on a bracket board 22". The full set of buckets is not shown in any of the views for the reason that they would obscure other parts butl suice it to say that they may be arranged at regular distances apart on the conveyer and are of sufficient number to bring about an initial feed commensurate with the timing of the other parts. The conveyer 11 is, in the present instance, a chain conveyer and I prefer to drive it by. mea-ns of a sprocket 23 carried by a shaft 24` (Fig. 4) journaled in a yoke arm 25 turning about the axle shaft 3 as a center.

fast on the shaft 24 by a sprocket 27 fast on the axle shaft and a connecting chain 28. The sprocket 23 meshes with the outer side of the chain 11, that is, without the loop of' the conveyer and because of its being mounted on the arm 25, it can he swung toward and from the conveyer to tighten or loosen the drive or, if it'- 1s necessary to increase the initial speed, or diminish it, a larger or smaller sprocket can be easily substituted. The arm Iis held in its various positions of adjustment by a segmental slot and pin connection 29 with a bracket 30 upon the main frame 1.

The buckets 22 of the conveyer are offset permitting them to discharge effectively into the auxiliary hopper 12 over which they pass arid the details of the latter are perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 5. The vibrator 13 before referred 'to is therein shown tobe a block having'a pin 31 that travels in a slot 32 inthe hoppcrl'iottom under the invflu'cnce of-a leverv 33 that will be hereinafter referredto, the upward th rust of the block being received by a friction roller 34. Each vibration ositivclyforic-es seed into the adjacent feed) .ocket 14 where it is impalcd b thecarrier tlcirks that will now be describe( The sprocket itself is v driven through the'medium of a sprocket 26 Carried on the main frame 1 is a casing or support presenting parallel spaced walls within which is journaled a shaft 36, (reference now being had to Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive) in alinement with horizontal slotted ways 37. The shaft has a flat portion 38 that passes through a slot 39 in. a disk 40 which latter is thus mounted to slide transversely of the shaft and to rotate thcrewith in an eccentric manner. has laterally projecting rollers 41 that travel on tracks 42 extending from the wallsfi in the direction of the pocket 14 and hold. the disk vsteady during its iransverse rcciprocating movement onl the shaft, the purpose of which movement is to impale the seed in the holder or pocket 14 upon one or the other of two diametrically opposed forks 43 on the disk. `When the seed is impaled, the part-s are in the position shown in F ig. 6 and it is at this point that a half revolution is iinparted to the shaft 36 by means that will be hereinafter explained so that the seed is car ried upwardly between outer and inner 'hous ing plates 44 and 45 res ectively, the latter provided with a. centra slot 46, until the seed is in a diamet-rically oppositev position, as shown in Fig. 11. Rotation of shaft 36 is now discontinued for another reciprocation of the rotary member 40 thereon which likewise impales a seed upon the opposite fork 43 while the first one is bein ejected by reason of the' retraction of the ork Within the slot 46 and emptied into one of .the pockets 16 of the distrib'uter 17. During the 'lhe disk Il() 75 eccentric rotation of the disk 40 and the forks carried thereby the same are held against transverse reci rocating movement by one or the other of t e rollers 41 traversing an intermediate semi-circular portion 47 of the track 42 which portion is concentric with the Shaft 36.

The means for imparting the intermittent rotary motion to the shaft 36 and the inter` f mittent reciprocatory motion to the disk 40 slidlng thereon 1s perhaps best shown in Figs. l, 6 and-7 and com rises 1n the present instance, a short sha. t 48 having agear 4!) thereon that meshes with a gear 50ion the shaft 36. On the outer end of the latter is a star wheel 51 (Fig. 1) lhaving' radial arms formin abutments 52 arranged to be engaged y a plurality of peripheral abutments on ins 53 on a wheel 54v that is mounted irectly on and turns with the main axle shaft 3. The abutments 53 are so spaced that `with the natural travel of the vehicle their successive engagement with the abutmcnts 52 on the star wheel will operate the shaft 36 throu h the medium ofthe gears 49 and' 50 onealf a revolution at the desired intervals. to cause the reversal of the imlpaling forks and in order that -this inter.- va may be regulated as to len l when desired, the abutments 53am* e adjustwei gh tI hopper ant a seed-thereon. This signal device is provided in the present. instance in the form of an alarm hell 81 mounted on a. tubular bracket that forms a. contimlation of the ejector passage 44--45 and having a elapper 83 pivoter] at 84 (Figs. 1.1, 12 and 13). To the other arm of the clapper is Ipivoted at 85 an actuating member or trigger 86 which has a slotted connection 87 with the pivot 85 to give it a free contact with the hell. The actuator is in the presentinstance in the form of a wire loop that depends under gravity control into the rotary )ath ot' the forks 43, the loop heing of su cient pio portions to permit of the entrance andengagementof the forks therein when hare but insutiieient to accommodate a. seed earried on one of the forks. When the -fork arrives empty, therefore, it exerts a longi tndinal pull on the. actuator and trips the bell clappcr, hut when a seed en e'ae'es there'- wit-h, the actuator is displaced laterally. swinging on its pivot. as shown in vFier. ll and the bell clapper remains at rest.

The position of the signal .actuator or trigger SG'in the patlrof the forks is controlled h v -grravitv and to provide against 'its swinging; outl ol" said path hy reason ot' the operation ot the machine upon hilly ground. or otherwise. 1T provide a. compensaliner device in the present form of a counter 88 pivoted at Si) ona different eenter from the chipper or its actuator but provided with arms .lt) having loops 91 arranged in sliding engagement with thel dependingP loop 86, movement of. theeouuterweight in` one direction .being` limited hy its engagement with the pivot supportim..Y bracket. 92 and in the other hy contact olE the lower end of the actuator with the walls of the tubular brackets 82. -'l`he Aweights in this way ma)T he easily'alistrihuted so thatwith any working* inclination of the planter the actuator Stwill still he maintained perpend'ieularly in the path ot the forks without the vcounterweightbeing so hea-Vy as to interfere with the deflect-ion thereof linderthe engagement of a seed on one'ofthe forks.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ilanter, the combination with a l an endless coiveyer for distribating the contents thereof haring offset buckets thereon. of means :for driving t-he conreyer operatively coperating therewith on the outer side thereof to one side of the path of the buckets.

2. .In a planter. thecombination with a hopper and an endless'conveyer .for dist ril)- ut'iug,r the contents thereof havingr ott'sct buckets thereon. of means for drivingrthe Conveyercomprising` a wheel opel'atvctv Acooperatingr therewith ou the outer side there-4 of angl arranged in the plane of the 0911-' veyer. y f

3. In a planter,V the combination with a' hopper and an endless eonveyer for distributing the contents thereof. o'l. means for driving the conreyer comprising a wheel operatirel) cooperating therewith on the outer side thereof. said wheel being mounted in hearings movahle toward and from the conveyer to operate the wheel into and out of engagement therc\\-'ilh.

4. In a ilanl'er. the eon'ihinatiou willi a hopper and au endless chain con.'ever l'or dist rihutine' the-contents tlureol". o means for driving' the convever comprising;r a dri ving,y sh.|l"t,=an arm loosely mounted thereon to swiner toward and 'l'roni the conveyor. a sprocket. wheel on the arm meshing with the chain convert-r ou the outer side. thereof and drivingV connections between the shaft and sprcckct. i

5. ,In a planter. the comhimition with a hopper. ot -an endlessV cou\'e \jer operating in a vertical plane and harina' :l pluralityY ot' hncketsy oll'sct to one side ol' lhc plane of the convclvcr thereon arranged to receive the contents of the hopper. and a receivingr receptacle arraug'wl at one .side ot' the plane ot' the court-.ver within the plaueot4 movement ol" the hueleets and within which tht` latter are adapted to empty.

6. In a planter. llic comhinatipn with a main hopper. ol air auxiliar)r hopper. means t'or conveying seed al' a predgtermincd rate .from the former to the latter. a receiving pocket fed. ifrom the auxiliary hopper and a carrier l.`or transferring the wed from the receiving pocket and deposit ing them a tintei-vals.'

7. In a main hopper-.of an for conveying.r from the former to the latter. a receiving pocket means for forcing seed from the aux? iliar)r hopper into the receiving pocket and a carrier for removing the seed from the receiving pocket at. a less rate than they are being conveyed from one hopper to the other and. depositing them at intervals.

8. In a planter. the eomhination with a main hopper,`of an auxiliar)Y hopper. means for conveying seed at a predetermined rate from the 'former to the latter, and means for forci'ngseed from thequ-.vilary hopper embodying a vibratingr memher 0pt-rating Within said hol'iper'in timed relation 'to 'the conveying; means.

9. In a planter. lh" conihinalhm with a lnain hopper. of an :luvil'iarv means .for conveying seed nl a pre1lctermined rate from the fornleitolhe latter. a receiving holder arranged plantel', thc eimihination with a hopper, means for forcing seci'l 'from the auxlhary hopper into the. receiving holder and acarri'er for removing the seed from the l'eceivingholder :1t-[less rate than they arebeing conveyed'from one hopper to the other and depositing they; at; intervals.

io overflow' into the main` auxiliarv hopper, means seed at a in'edeteru'iined ratefl 'too 10. In a planter, the combination with a main hopper, of an auxiliary hopper, means for conveying seed at a predetermined rate from the former to the latter, a receivingIr holder arranged to over-dow into the main hopper, means for forcing seed from the auxiliary hopper into the receiving holder and a carrier fork for impaling the seed and removing the seed one by one from the receiving holder at less rate than they are being conveyed from one hopper to the other and deposit-ing them at ii'itervals.

11. In a planter, the combination with a hopper, of a. receiving holder arranged to overflow into the hopper, means for feeding seed from the hopper to the receiving holder and a device for removing the seed from the latter and depositing them at intervals.

12. In a planter, the combination with a hopper, of a receiving holder arranged to overflow into the hopper, means for feeding seed at a predetermined rate from the hopper to the holder and a device' for removing the seed from the holder at a lower rate than it is being fed from the hopper and depositing it at intervals.

13. In a planter, the combination with a seed holder, of a carrier for removing seed therefrom and depositing it at intervals com rising a supporting case, a shaft, a track having a straight portion extending in the direction of the holder and an intermediate semi-circular portion concentric 4with the' shaft, a member rotatable with and slid- 35i able transversely of the shaft on the track, diametrically opposed impaling forks on the rotatable member, means for reciprocating the latter transversely of and eccentrically to the shaft to impale the seed on one fork,r

means for ejecting a seed'from theop osite fork, means for impa-rtmg a half revo utlon to the shaft tofreverse the positions of the esoV torks, and track en aging portions on the rotatable m niber akglapted to traverse the semi-circula portion of the track and hold the -i'otatable member against transverse movment on the shaft during the said half revo ut-ion of the latter.

14, In a planter, the combination with a seed holder, of a carrier for removing seeds tlierefr "In and depositing them at intervals comprising a shaft diametrically opposed impa'ling,` forks l"thereon adapted to rotate with the shaft and`- to'reciprocate transversely thereof to impale the seeds in the ,'l'iolder,f,and means for imparting inter-mit tent Vriottiry Lmotion to the shaft consisting of lialiiactutitor having a series of spaced abutmcnts'rthereon and a driving member arnged to engage the same, a member for ciprocgting thc forks in one direction, an actuating device for said member operated jby the dijiv'ing member and a cam for resettingthe reciprocating member and its actuator by engagement with the former the rotation of the shaft.

15. In a planter, the combination with a seed holder, ofa carrier for removing seeds during therefrom and depositing them at intervals "vice for said member operated by the driving member between the intermittent rotary movements of the shaft.

16. In a planter, the combination witha seed holder, of a carrier for. removing seeds therefrom and depositing them at intervals comprising a shaft, fliametrically opposed impaling forks thereon adapted to rotate with the shaft and to reciprocate trailsversely thereof to impalethe seeds in the holder, means for imparting intermittent ro tary motion to the shaft, consistin of an actuating wheel having a series o s aced abutments thereon', and a driving whee having a series of spaced abutments thereon arranged to successively engage those on the actuator, a member for reciprocatin f the forks in onedirection, an actuating evic for said member operated by the abutments en the driving member after the sume have engaged the shaft actuating wheel and means for resetting the fork reciprocating member and its actuator during rotation of the shaft.

17. Ina planter, the combination with a main frame, an axle shaft ground wheels on the latter and a seed holder, of a carrier for removing seeds from the latter and depositing them at intervals comprising a shaft driven by the axle shaft, diametrically opposed impaling forks thereon adapted to rotate with the shaft andto reciprocate transversely thereof to impale the seeds in the holder, means for imparting intermittent rotary motion to the shaft consisting of an actuating wheel movable therewith having a series of spaced abutments thereon and a driving wheel on the axle shaft having a series of spaced abutments arranged to successively engage thoseon the actuator, a.

`member for reciprocating the forks in one direction, an actuating device for said member comprising a rock shaft eccentrlcally connected therewith and having a dog thereon rocked by the abutmcnts on the drivintg member after the same has engaged the sha t lution of actuating nhecl and means toi; resettingthe 'lorh reciprocating member and itsI actuating dog while the .shaft is rotating.

1H. In a planter, the combination with a hopper and a seed holder fed therefrom, of a carrier for removing the seed from the holder and depositing them at intervals cmnprising a )air of intermittently rotating forks also adlapted to reciprocate toward and from the holder to impale the seed thereon, means for reciprocating the forks and a vibrator in the hopper connected with and driven by said operating means to foi-cc a scedflnto the holder in advance of the impaling movement of the forks.

1,9. ln a planter, the combination with a traveling distributer, of a carrier having a fork thereon for depositing seed on the distributcr in successive arrangement, each deposit being isolated from the others, a signal operated by the forkwhen empty during its travel toward the distributer and means `for discharging the deposits from the latter in the order in which. they are delivered from thecarrier.

20. In a planter, the combinationwith a table and'a rotary distributer onv the table having a plurality of peripheral pockets, the table constitutin, vthe bottoms of the latter andbcing provi ed with a discharge-opening in the path of the pockets, of a carrier fon-,depositing seed in one pocket while the one immediately succeeding it is discharging through the opening in the table, each seed being carried through a complete revothe distributer before being dis charged through the openin 1.

. the actuator.

In a planter, the combination with an intermittently traveling distributer having a plurality of pocket-s, of a carrier for depositing seed in the pockets, successively,v at each lialtof the distribi'iter, means 'for dis# charging the contents of the pbckets in the order' in which they are filled and means for locking the distributer against movement while the seed is deposited by the carrier.

22. In a planter, the combination'with a rotary dist-ributer having a plurality ofpoclcets, of a. reciprocating carrier for depositingv seed in each pocket successively, means for discharging the pockets in the order inwhich they are-filled, an actuator for the carrier and a paw] and ratchet for imparting 'intermittent movement to the distributer connected for movement with 23. In a planter, the combination with a carrier for depositing the seed at intervals f moved longitudinally ,embodying a /ijtirlt having ,impaling and i' ejecting positions, of a signal operated by the emptyv fork during its movement from the impaling to the ejeetino' position.

24. .ln a planter, the com ination with a carrier for depositing the seed at intervals embodying a fork having impaling and ejecting positions, of a signal and an actuating device therefor operated by the em ty fork during its movement tothe ejectlng position, said actuating device being alri'anged to yield from -the path of the fork when engaged a seed carried on latter.

25. In a planter, carrier for depositing the seed at intervals embodying 'a movable fork having impaling and ejccting positions, of a signal and an actuating device therefor operated by the empty fork during its movement to the ejecting position, said actuating device bethe the combination with a. i

ing arranged to yield from the pat-h 'of the maintaining v atingdevice therefor embodying a depending gravity controlled trigger engaged and by the empty fork during vits movement to the ejecting position, said trigger being arranged to yield laterallyA from the path of the fork when engaged by a seed carried on the'latter, and means for normally maintaining the actufatorin the path 'of the fork. i.

27. In a planter, the combination with a carrier for depositing the .seed at intervals embodying a movable fork having impaling and ejeeting posit-ions, of a signal, an actuating device therefor embodying a dependf ing gravity controlled trigger engagednand moved longitudinally 'by the empty fork during its movement to the ejecting position, said trigger bein arranged to yield lateral] from thepat of the fork when engage by a seed carried on the latter,'a pivoted eounterweight having a limited movement and sliding connections between the latter and the actuating trig er for normally maintaining the latter in t ie path Witnesses:

RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH, LUCY A. VAN COURT. 

